Photo luminescent golf balls are seeing increased usage on golf courses across the country. Their glow-in-the-dark ability allows golfers to golf later in the day and even into dusk and nighttime hours. Additionally, their self-luminescent qualities provide an interesting effect as the ball travels through the air, as well as providing the useful function of allowing golfers to easily find a golf ball when it lands. However, for these golf balls to operate at their peak efficiency they must be fully recharged by placing them in a direct bright light. Ironically, it is the lack of this bright light as the reason why golfers are using them in the first place.
Various carriers exist for the purpose of conveniently carrying and organizing a number of golf balls. Typically these carriers include a case having an accessible interior portion, a lid, and a carrying handle. The golf balls are either positioned horizontally or stacked vertically within the case. However, these carriers do not contemplate providing an integral light source intended to recharge and activate the photoluminescent materials embedded into the cover of the golf balls.
Examples of these types of storage cases can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,001, issued in the name of Toomey et al., discloses a golf ball heating device which includes a closable case having a heat conductive tray for receiving golf balls and an electrical resistance heating element to heat the golf balls residing within the tray.
Various other storage containers for use with other articles also exist, as can be seen by example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,320, issued in the name of Chao et al., which discloses a lighted jewelry box and U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,132, issued in the name of Cunningham, which discloses an illuminated fishing tackle box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,015, issued in the name of Jones, discloses luminous golf balls and a carrying case therefore which provides a light source disposed in an upper chamber of the case, a light-reflective material lining the upper chamber, and a power supply for the light source for activating the luminescent golf balls.
While these devices may accomplish their specific intended purpose, each suffers from one (1) or more disadvantage or deficiency with respect to design, function, or effectiveness. In particular, these devices fail to contemplate providing light for purpose of recharging luminescent golf balls for use during play. Additionally, the light provided may not be sufficient to properly charge the golf balls if used and are not easily portable for convenient transport and use during play on a gold course.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which photo luminescent golf balls can be easily and completely recharged right up to the point of use. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.